Disney Cruise Line unveils new ship class, fresh Disney Believe details

Disney Cruise Line is charting its next phase of expansion, unveiling plans for an entirely new class of ships while sharing fresh details about its upcoming Wish-class vessel, Disney Believe.

Currently under development, Disney Believe will become the fourth ship in Disney’s Wish class when it launches in 2027, joining Disney Wish, Disney Treasure and Disney Destiny.

Disney revealed new details about the vessel during the D23 fan convention in California, including the characters that will take centre stage in its design.

Each Wish-class ship carries its own theme, reflected through a signature statue in the Grand Hall and Disney characters featured on the bow and stern.

Claire Weiss, senior creative director at Disney, revealed that Moana will serve as the Grand Hall icon aboard Disney Believe.

Tinker Bell will adorn the ship’s bow, accompanied by silhouettes of Peter Pan, Wendy and Captain Hook.

Meanwhile, Toy Story favourites Woody and Buzz Lightyear will make an appearance on the stern. 

But Believe won’t be the end of Disney Cruise Line’s fleet expansion.

Following the ship’s launch, Disney will turn its attention to what Weiss described as “a new story at sea,” with three vessels in an entirely new ship class scheduled to begin launching in 2029.

The additions will eventually bring Disney Cruise Line’s fleet to 13 ships.

The yet-to-be-named class will fall between Disney’s smaller classic vessels and its newer, larger ships in terms of size.

For comparison, Disney Wonder measures 84,130 gross tonnes and accommodates 2,713 guests, while Disney Wish weighs in at approximately 144,000 gross tonnes with capacity for around 4,000 passengers.

The announcements come amid a significant period of growth for Disney Cruise Line.

Disney Destiny, the latest addition to the Wish class, launched in December 2025, while the Asia-focused Disney Adventure debuted earlier this year.

Disney is also expanding the geographic reach of its existing fleet. Next summer, Disney Wish is scheduled to sail from the United Kingdom for the first time.

With Disney Believe arriving in 2027 and an entirely new generation of vessels beginning in 2029, Disney Cruise Line is setting the stage for its fleet to continue growing through the end of the decade.